Yields: 4 servings
Time: 1 hour (15 min prep + 45 min cook)
Special equipment: Tagine or Dutch oven
🛒 Ingredients:
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (or boneless if you prefer)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 preserved lemon, quartered and thinly sliced (or sub with zest of 1 lemon + splash of lemon juice)
- ½ cup green or Castelvetrano olives
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- Fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish
🍲 Directions:
1. Brown the chicken:
- Heat oil in a tagine base or Dutch oven.
- Season chicken with salt & pepper, then sear skin-side down until golden (5–6 minutes per side). Remove and set aside.
2. Sauté aromatics:
- In the same pan, cook onion until soft (5 minutes). Add garlic and spices and cook until fragrant (1 minute).
3. Simmer it all:
- Return chicken to the pan. Add preserved lemon, olives, and broth.
- Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over low heat for 35–40 minutes, until chicken is tender and infused with flavor.
4. Garnish & serve:
- Top with chopped fresh parsley or cilantro.
- Serve with fluffy couscous, rice, or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
🌟 Tips & Variations:
- Add chickpeas or potatoes for a heartier version.
- Use preserved lemon paste if you don’t have whole ones.
- Don’t eat the rind of preserved lemon unless you like the bitter tang — it’s meant for flavor, not always for munching!
